464 Chapter 464
Si Wei, acting on Xia Feichen's orders, came up to inform Sheng Fei about the venomous insects in the dungeon. He had just climbed the stairs and passed through the corridor when he was blown away by the explosive energy of the Five Elements inside the room.
Many guards in the corridor were thrown out by the huge shockwave.
There was a fierce battle taking place on all three floors, but no one outside noticed.
Zou Yexi kicked open the interrogation room door, swung his club and overturned the table, trying to take the person away from Sheng Fei.
The spirit of the character transformed into a golden scimitar and fell into Sheng Fei's hand. He deflected the staff's attack with one hand, grabbed Wei Ren by the collar, and flung him away.
Jiang Chi stood in front, brandishing his sword, blocking Zou Yexi's path.
"So you're all in cahoots." Sheng Fei glanced at Wei Ren, who was lying on the ground struggling to breathe.
"Anyone who doesn't get along with you is in cahoots with you." Zou Yexi leaned forward and used his stick to kick Jiang Chi.
Jiang Chi was enveloped in darkness the moment he made a move.
Heavenly Secrets Swallow Shadows.
Sheng Fei reversed his grip on the knife and slashed upwards, the golden light cutting through the darkness. Zou Yexi's figure was already beside him, and Sheng Fei swung his curved blade, repelling the boy who was trying to take Wei Ren away.
"Even if we take a step back and assume he did something wrong that would warrant being brought to the Criminal Investigation Department?" Zou Yexi retreated to a corner of the room.
Jiang Chi whistled, and Zou Yexi glanced back. A chilling aura emanated from the walls of the house, and a black shadow slowly materialized into a sword spirit wielding a weapon.
Sheng Fei and Jiang Chi blocked Zou Yexi's escape routes in both directions.
"You trespassed into the Criminal Investigation Department, so you should stay here." Sheng Fei flicked his hand, and the Demon-Slaying Blade spun once in his palm.
"There are so many people at the Criminal Investigation Department tonight, what's wrong with me joining in the fun?" Zou Yexi completely ignored his threat. "His Highness the Crown Prince sent me to the Criminal Investigation Department to ask the Communications Institute about their investigation. It's perfectly reasonable. What can you do to me?"
After saying that, he pointed to Wei Ren lying on the ground: "I didn't expect to find that you Qingyang were bullying a mere sixth-level sorcerer from our Yan Kingdom as soon as I arrived. I stepped in to stop you, which country's law did I violate?"
...A mere sorcerer of the sixth realm.
Wei Ren was speechless: "You don't need to waste your breath talking to him."
Zou Ye chuckled, his aura suddenly changing as he made a hand seal: "The Xun hexagram, swift as the wind."
His movements accelerated and became faster than the naked eye could follow. He pressed forward with his staff, fighting against Sheng Fei, Jiang Chi, and a sword spirit.
The five elements of energy in the room were surging wildly, almost affecting Wei Ren several times, but Zou Yexi turned around and knocked him away with a stick each time.
"A foundation in Yin-Yang philosophy, and the skills of a military strategist," Jiang Chi praised Zou Ye during their sparring session. "You have quite the talent."
“Far above you.” Zou Ye smiled and raised an eyebrow, then flicked his staff with a flourish to deflect the curved blade that came from behind.
"Why do you always resort to sneak attacks?" Zou Yexi glanced at Sheng Fei with disdain.
He opened his mouth to say a few more words, but was interrupted by Jiang Chi, who attacked him together with the sword spirit.
Sheng Fei changed his attack, his curved blade slashing directly at Wei Ren, passing through his shoulder and spraying blood everywhere.
Zou Yexi heard Wei Ren's cry of pain and Tun Ying dodged back, but was intercepted by Jiang Chi. The strange weapon Ling Xie in Jiang Chi's hand gleamed with a cold light, instantly shattering Tun Ying's darkness.
Sheng Fei struck again, and Wei Ren struggled to the limit and rolled to the side, his clothes being torn and making a tearing sound.
The golden scimitar, like a death warrant, relentlessly pursued Wei Ren. Despite his shoulder injury and the inconvenience in his hands and feet, Wei Ren rolled on the ground, but was eventually caught by the scimitar, which pierced his calf.
Zou Yexi was shocked by Sheng Fei's behavior, seemingly unable to believe that he would bully the weak in this way.
Seeing that Wei Ren was about to be hacked to death by Sheng Fei, Zou Yexi also composed himself and shouted as he deflected Jiang Chi with his staff: "Azure Dragon, Tail Constellation, Fire Tail Tiger!"
The constellation Tail is associated with the Fire Tiger.
The stars connected to form an array, and the star generals materialized. The Fire-Tailed Tiger swung its huge blue dragon tail, which transformed into a thunderous arrow that shot towards Sheng Fei.
Sheng Fei turned around, and the thunderous arrow stopped in front of him, because he was holding Wei Ren by the neck with one hand, the blade pressed against the flesh, and with just a little force, he could sever Wei Ren's head.
Everyone inside the house stopped attacking.
"You're not really going to kill him, are you?" Zou Yexi asked with a strange expression.
"I'm asking you a question; it's you who suddenly showed up and disrupted things," Sheng Fei said coldly.
Jiang Chi stood between the two, sword held horizontally. Zou Yexi did not rush forward; he dared not gamble on whether Sheng Fei would actually make a move.
In the eyes of these three, Wei Ren, who was at the sixth realm, was a fragile person who could be killed with a single squeeze.
"What do you want to ask? Ask quickly." Zou Yexi frowned.
Sheng Fei looked at the dying Wei Ren and said, "You've been active in Yan these past few years. Just because you have a few followers in the peasant school, you think you're something special."
His words were full of sarcasm.
Wei Ren felt dizzy and oxygen-deprived. He was squeezed by the Five Elements Qi, which was far beyond his own level, causing his head to bleed profusely and his vision to be stained with blood.
“Madam Su is dead. Her men need a good place to go. It’s really good for them to follow me. They’re much better off than following Madam Su.” Wei Ren grinned, his face covered in blood, making him look somewhat terrifying.
Sheng Fei wasn't angered by these words. Instead, he glanced at Zou Yexi, who was being kept at a distance, and said, "Why don't you show off how you managed to climb up to the Crown Prince of Yan?"
"Is this the kind of pointless question you're asking?" Zou Ye said with displeasure.
“You are not worthy to know,” Wei Ren said.
Sheng Fei tightened his grip on his neck: "Then you don't need to say anything more."
He had already decided to kill.
"Stop!" Zou Ye shouted, and the Fiery Tiger Thunder Arrow, suspended in mid-air, continued forward with a sharp sound.
On the brink of life and death, a glimmer of blue suddenly appeared in Wei Ren's bloodshot eyes.
The slender green blade of the sword pierced through the wall, and with tremendous force, it passed through Sheng Fei's chest just before he could snap his neck.
The impact sent Wei Ren flying toward the window, while Sheng Fei activated his protective aura and raised his hand to dodge the sudden shock.
The three people in the room stared in disbelief as Wei Ren was instantly killed by the Qingye sword blade that suddenly appeared through the wall.
Before Wei Ren, who had been thrown into the air, fell to the ground, a large number of green leaf sword blades came from all directions through the walls to launch an attack.
"Third Young Master!" Jiang Chi called out urgently to Sheng Fei, who was closest to the window. The sword spirit protected the two of them, but they were pierced by the sword blades and scattered like hedgehogs.
Zou Yexi leaped out of the broken window and chased after them. As soon as he climbed over the wall, the room was filled with the blades of the Green Leaf Sword, which sharply sliced through everything in their path.
Tables and chairs flew and exploded, and the green-leaf sword blades rushed towards the two trapped people.
"The sword dissolves, the wind whistles, and the snow returns!"
Jiang Chi stood in front of Sheng Fei, holding his sword with both hands, gathering the five elements of energy, and drawing his soul into the weapon in his hands, causing his sword intent to surge in a short time.
As the north wind descended, the chilling aura permeated the entire room. Invisible sword energy, carried by the wind and snow, forcefully blocked the countless green leaf sword blades that filled the room.
Jiang Chi was covered in cold sweat and dared not relax for a moment. He fought with all his might and dared not be distracted.
The wind howled sharply, and the green leaf sword blade closest to the two trembled as it advanced in the confrontation.
Only then did Sheng Fei notice the direction from which the green leaves' blades were swarming. He looked up and saw a loud bang on the roof. Before he could even see the figure clearly, Jiang Chi had been defeated.
The flowing wind and swirling snow shattered, like icicles falling to the ground. The opposing forces collided and struck Jiang Chi and Sheng Fei, while the green leaf sword blade seized the opportunity to strike.
Jiang Fengyu, wielding the Azure Leaf Water Sword, descended like a god, concentrating on swinging the sword horizontally to repel all the Azure Leaf sword blades in the room.
These blades formed from qi were not his doing, but rather the result of Yu Sui's reversal of the stars and the reversal of the extremes, a power that emerged from the opposite direction.
Sheng Fei crashed into the wall and reached out to support the seriously injured Jiang Chi. He used one hand to shield himself from the shockwave. Amidst the falling debris from the roof, he saw a glimpse of a black garment standing at the edge of the hole in the roof.
Jiang Fengyu looked up and gazed at Yu Sui, who was standing upstairs.
He didn't know why Yu Sui suddenly attacked the downstairs, but he understood when he saw Sheng Fei.
However, she also appears to have killed someone during the attack on Sheng Fei.
Jiang Fengyu glanced out the window out of the corner of her eye.
"Nan, Gong, Sui".
Sheng Fei looked through the hole and saw the woman's face clearly. Her expression was ashen, and the question that had troubled him for three years was finally answered.
She did not die.
Yu Sui didn't even glance at him.
"stop!"
Seeing that Yu Sui was about to leave, Sheng Fei sternly stopped him, but Jiang Fengyu caught up with him in an instant.
At this moment, the fighting upstairs finally attracted more attention. Teams from various branches of the Criminal Investigation Department rushed out downstairs to inquire what had happened.
Sheng Fei chased after them and saw a flash of lightning and a falling object. Looking up, he saw Xun Zhiya and the mysterious man who had emerged from the Hundred Images Pavilion.
Jiang Chi stood up, sword in hand, and cursed, "Is there not a single capable person in the Criminal Justice Division of Nan Jing?"
They didn't even know their leader had been beaten!
The Criminal Investigation Department had been sending out personnel since the daytime search of the Communications Institute, and Xia Feichen was still dealing with the venomous insects underground. Then, the murder of the eldest princess of the Dan Kingdom occurred at night, leaving almost no elite troops remaining here.
Xun Zhiya fought with the mysterious man and realized that he was not proficient enough in using the Heavenly Punishment. Several times, the man broke free of his restraints, and Xun almost let him go.
At this moment, due to the repeated use of Heavenly Punishment, her face was somewhat pale and her Qi control was unstable. She finally broke through the restrictions of the Hundred Images Pavilion and was ready to let the Punishment Department capture the mysterious person.
As soon as Xun Zhiya opened her mouth, she was covered by a red umbrella that fell from the sky, rendering her unable to move. Behind her, Yu Sui reached out and grabbed Xun Zhiya by the neck, raising her voice to the mysterious person on the roof: "Excuse me, I need to speak with Her Highness the Holy Maiden alone."
The mysterious man paused for a moment. He saw a large number of guards appearing below, as well as Sheng Fei and the others who were about to catch up. Without hesitation, he turned around and used his wind manipulation technique to leave.
"Nangong Sui?" Xun Zhiya managed to utter a sound from his throat, his heart filled with fear.
Yu Sui looked at Jiang Fengyu, who was catching up, threw the antidote for the Fengyang Gu in another direction, and in the instant of the umbrella, disappeared from Jiang Fengyu's sight with Xun Zhiya.
When Sheng Fei caught up to the sixth floor, he didn't see anyone. He took a deep breath and calmed down to track the remaining Five Elements Qi.
Sensing movement, he turned around warily and found it was Jiang Fengyu.
"Where is she?" Sheng Fei asked, looking Jiang Fengyu up and down.
Jiang Fengyu held the antidote that Yu Sui had thrown out in his hand and discreetly hid it in his sleeve.
“She has hidden herself away with the Holy Maiden of Nanjing,” Jiang Fengyu said.
"You can't find it either?" Sheng Fei asked.
Jiang Fengyu shook his head, unsure whether he couldn't find it or didn't want to look.
"Then what are you here for?" Sheng Fei's tone became increasingly impolite.
Jiang Fengyu did not answer, and vanished in an instant.
Sheng Fei had already forgotten about Wei Ren and Zou Yexi; all he wanted to do now was capture Yu Sui. So he turned around and ordered the people from the Nangong Three Departments to investigate around the Criminal Investigation Division.
Jiang Chi was injured, but Sheng Fei didn't let him move.
Frequent commotions were heard inside the Criminal Investigation Department, attracting many onlookers who were speculating.
Wei Ren was thrown away by the impact of the green leaf sword blade. As he fell from the window, he was taken away by the spirit bird of words that was the embodiment of the light core.
Zou Yexi chased after him but couldn't find him, and he was so anxious that he paced around in circles.
We need to see the person alive or dead, how come there's not even a trace of them?
Under the cover of night, in an abandoned courtyard, Wei Ren lay on the eaves, his blood flowing and spreading on the ground.
He didn't know how many times he had faced death, but this time it seemed... it didn't bring much fear.
Is it because of this somewhat familiar-looking spirit bird?
Wei Ren closed his eyes, unable to see the thirteenth realm divine soul light core that had entered his body.
The physicians were ordered to the dungeon of the Criminal Investigation Department. Under Wen Xin's command, they only examined the unconscious guard at the entrance of the Dragon Ladder. Soon, the three physicians concluded: "It is the Farmer's Breath Swallowing Technique, but this person's breathing is unstable, causing it to flow backward. He should not be in good condition."
“This person has asthma, doctor, please take a look at her first.” Wen Xin immediately pointed to where Ah Ling was.
While Wenxin was still pondering why the forbidden techniques of the Farmer's Clan would appear in the dungeon, Ah Ling could no longer pretend. She grabbed the physician who was near her and retreated into the Dragon Ladder, shouting, "Stop! Don't come any closer!"
"Put the knife down!"
The guards near the Dragon Ladder were on high alert.
Wen Yangzhou and Wen Yangxiu, who were still pretending to be unconscious, secretly opened one eye and thought to themselves that this girl really couldn't hold back.
“If you take another step forward, I’ll kill him!” Ah Ling shouted.
The doctor she was holding hostage was an elderly man whose body looked fragile and easily broken. Before Ah Ling could do anything, the doctor was already pale with fright.
Wen Xin remained expressionless, completely ignoring Ah Ling's threat: "Make your move."
Ah Ling didn't expect the other party to be so ruthless. She still remembered Yu Sui's words, "There's no need to take lives." When the others attacked, she panicked and shielded the old doctor behind her.
Wenxin observed that A-Ling could command the surrounding insects and shouted, "Listen up, everyone! This woman can command insects. Don't get close. Attack her from a distance and take her down!"
Ah Ling was in a flurry of activity trying to cope.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the Wen brothers entered the Dragon Ladder and quietly activated it. The Criminal Investigation Department had taken control of the Dragon Ladder, but regaining control was as easy as eating and drinking for those who frequently repaired the Dragon Ladder in Taiyi.
Just as Ah Ling was about to collapse, the dragon ladder suddenly closed the door, separating the two groups of people.
Wen Xin was stunned.
"Who started the dragon ladder?" he shouted angrily.
No one answered, and they were all full of questions. Fortunately, Wen Xin, despite his anger, reacted quickly and immediately ordered a pursuit, while also reporting the situation to Xia Feichen.
Xia Feichen's conjecture was confirmed, and he now judged that capturing Nangong Sui's accomplices would be more useful, so they chased after them together.
He chased after them only to find that the outside world was even more chaotic, leaving Xia Feichen somewhat bewildered.
"Sheng Fei!" Xia Feichen quickly stopped Sheng Fei, who was walking out. "What happened? Didn't I send someone to tell you that worms were found in the dungeon? It might be Nangong Sui leading a group..."
“She kidnapped Xun Zhiya,” Sheng Fei said.
"What?" Xia Feichen couldn't believe it. "Wasn't she here to rescue Li Jinshuang? I thought she would appear in the dungeon."
“Nangong Sui wasn’t the only one who attacked Xun Zhiya.” Sheng Fei strode out, his face grim.
"Who else?" Xia Feichen spoke quickly. "Her helper in the dungeon has been exposed. It's a little girl who can use the Farmer's Breath-Swallowing Technique and control worms. There might also be a sorcerer from the Mechanics School helping to operate the Dragon Ladder."
"Have someone tell Gu Gan about the viper. I'm going to find Nangong Sui now." Sheng Fei found him incredibly annoying and turned to leave without looking back.
"Where are we going to look? Do you even know where she is?" Xia Feichen stepped forward and stopped the man. "Listen to me, let's find her accomplices first. Since they're working together, they definitely know more than we do."
Before Sheng Fei could answer, a shrill whistle came from inside the Xing Shui Si building, and the qi sword hovering high above, humming as it expanded its range.
The serpentine path was triggered, and only then did the officials of the Criminal Investigation Department realize the seriousness of the situation.
Those downstairs heard heart-wrenching screams coming from upstairs: "His Highness has been kidnapped by thieves and has disappeared! Search for him quickly!"
Xun Zhiya was kidnapped by thieves who broke into the Xingshui Division, and the entire Xingshui Division's guards were on tenterhooks.
The news quickly spread to the Criminal Investigation Department, prompting others to cooperate.
Everyone thought Xun Zhiya had been taken away from the Criminal Affairs Department by the rebels, but when Xun Zhiya opened his eyes, he found himself in a dungeon.
She was the only one standing in the passage; all the guards who had been standing at the door were gone. As Xun Zhiya was on guard, a force suddenly came from behind and pushed her into the prison cell.
Xun Zhiya lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Inside the prison cell, Li Jinshuang, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them and stared in surprise at Xun Zhiya, who had fallen to the ground.
The hidden mechanism was triggered, the stagnant water channel shook, and the paving stones began to move and pave the road.
"Nangong Sui!" Xun Zhiya looked at the path leading to Li Jinshuang and said coldly, "I know you want to save Li Jinshuang, but as long as I don't give in, Li Jinshuang will have no way to survive!"
"Your Highness, Holy Maiden of Nanjing, may I interpret your words just now as meaning that you intend to exchange Li Jinshuang's life for your own?"
The open red umbrella floats in the air, its surface resembling clusters of burning flames.
The person appearing under the umbrella had shed their official robes from the Ministry of Justice, and the ends of their hair, hanging down to their shoulders, were tied with red string bells, which seemed to make a crisp sound as the figure materialized.
The red umbrella and white clothes were reflected in Li Jinshuang's eyes. Her dark pupils seemed to be filled with a light, strong and bright, just like when it suddenly entered her world and disappeared.
Yu Sui looked down at Xun Zhiya lying on the ground. She blocked the door leading out of the prison, as if cutting off Xun Zhiya's way out.
“Li Jinshuang, if you want to save Her Highness the Holy Maiden, she will have no chance of survival unless I give in.” Yu Sui’s tone was leisurely, like a mischievous child, with innocent malice.
“I don’t need her to save me!” Xun Zhiya retorted before Li Jinshuang could speak.
"Is Your Highness so confident that you can survive my clutches?" Yu Suichai reached out to Xun Zhiya and used her inner energy to grab her neck from a distance.
Xun Zhiya wanted to fight back, but found that she could not use the Five Elements Qi. Looking down, she found that her hands were bound by the Dragon Binding Rope at some point.
“Your Highness, you are now just like Li Jinshuang,” Yu Sui said, “a prisoner whose five elements are sealed by the Dragon Binding Rope.”
"What do you want to do?" Xun Zhiya's back was soaked with cold sweat, but she remained calm and composed, not revealing the slightest bit of the panic in her heart.
Yu Sui walked towards Xun Zhiya, arriving in front of her with a chilling aura.
“You have a Taoist Fire-Sealing Thunder Spell in your body that defends against vipers, so you are not afraid of vipers.” Yu Sui stared at Xun Zhiya’s face, his five fingers transformed into claws, and the Yin-Yang fish flashed across her wrist, absorbing and shattering the Fire-Sealing Thunder Spell in Xun Zhiya’s body.
"No!" Xun Zhiya tried to stop her, but it was too late.
Are you scared now?
Xun Zhiya was grabbed by the neck and lifted off the ground by a strong gust of wind. She bit her lip and glared at Yu Sui: "You won't get the answer you want from me!"
"It's just one less protective charm, of course I'm not afraid."
Yu Sui glanced at her chest again. "You still have two things: the Legalist Heavenly Punishment and the Divine Soul Core. Guess which one I plan to destroy next?"
Xunzi remained silent.
Yu Sui reached out and gently cupped her face, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Or should I just take your life?"
“If you kill me, the entire Nanjing will never let you go.” Xun Zhiya was forced to meet Yu Sui’s gaze, her voice trembling.
"How many people are there in the entire Nanjing? Is it enough for me to kill?" Yu Sui asked curiously.
Xun Zhiya cursed the girl inwardly as a madwoman, yet she was somewhat afraid of her. She wasn't afraid of the consequences of killing her; not that she didn't understand, but she simply didn't care.
Indeed, a person who kills his own mother is a cold-blooded and ruthless madman.
Calm down, don't panic. These things happening at the Criminal Investigation Department will definitely attract attention from the outside world, and people will arrive soon. Nangong Sui won't escape.
We need to stall for time as much as possible.
“I didn’t expect you to go to such lengths to save Li Jinshuang, even willing to expose your ability to control the Wind-Listening Ruler to everyone,” Xun Zhiya said calmly.
"You mean those mysterious messages?" Yu Sui raised her hands innocently and said, "It wasn't me."
"Do you think I'd believe that?" Xun Zhiya frowned. "Who else could it be but you?"
“Any warlock in the Communications Institute can do it,” Yu Sui said with a playful smile. “It’s just sending out a unified message; what’s so difficult about that?”
That's why the Criminal Investigation Department immediately surrounded the entire Communications Institute, preventing anyone from leaving.
"Not only did Nanjing receive these messages, but several other countries did too..."
“Then the problem lies with the communication engineers in those other countries,” Yu Sui interrupted her. “Why would I send these messages?”
"Of course it's to save Li Jin," Xun Zhiya said, but before she could finish, a strong wind grabbed her neck again.
"I have a more direct way to save her, like now, so why bother sending a formal letter?" Yu Sui looked at Xun Zhiya with a puzzled expression.
Xun Zhiya's breath hitched, and she desperately tried to break free of the Dragon Binding Rope, her hands bleeding from the struggle.
“You…are trying to…create chaos…” Xun Zhiya uttered with difficulty.
"I would be more than happy to see you lift the oath of non-aggression between the six kingdoms," Yu Sui whispered into Xun Zhiya's ear.
"This is inside my Star Sea Barrier, where time flows differently than outside. Your Highness, if you try to stall for time and wait for someone to come and rescue you, it may take forever."
Yu Sui asked her, "Do you want to wait for Gu Gan to come and use the Divine Mechanism Heavenly Official to save you?"
Xun Zhiya's thoughts were guessed, and a hint of annoyance appeared on her cold face.
"So the Heavenly Punishment without the Five Elements Qi isn't so great after all." After her curiosity subsided, Yu Sui suddenly grabbed Xun Zhiya's neck with her bare hands. "Li Jinshuang, if you call a halt, she can live. If you remain silent, I'll strangle her."
Xun Zhiya and Li Jinshuang could both tell that Yu Sui was serious.
Yu Sui tightened his grip, and Xun Zhiya's cold and arrogant face showed anxiety and panic. She was lifted up by the neck, and her breathing became even more difficult after her feet left the ground.
The feeling of impending death became more pronounced and rapid, and the girl who had been smiling just moments before now stared at her expressionlessly.
Those extremely dark eyes were incredibly terrifying at that moment.
"She will kill you," the thought echoed in Xun Zhiya's mind.
Fear descended instantly.
The instinct for survival made Xun Zhiya look toward the prison platform where Li Jinshuang was located.
His bloodshot eyes screamed for help.
“…Stop.” Li Jinshuang’s deep voice echoed in the empty prison cell.
Yu Sui didn't stop immediately, but looked at Li Jinshuang: "Do you want to save her?"
"The saintess is dead now and poses no threat to you."
Li Jinshuang's face also betrayed no emotion: "You can't kill her."
Yu Sui flung Xun Zhiya to the prison gate.
After a brief period of unconsciousness, Xun Zhiya woke up coughing and gasping for breath, clutching her neck in pain, her head covered in sweat.
Yu Sui stood in front of her, meeting Xun Zhiya's grief-stricken and angry gaze, and said in a low voice, "She saved your life, and what about you?"
"If I would rather die than release Li Jinshuang, what can you do about it?" Xun Zhiya asked hoarsely, her voice strained by her injury, her face bearing a stubbornness and arrogance that defied death.
Looking at Xun Zhiya at this moment, Yu Sui suddenly thought: If you had told Sister Yuezhen about the viper directly back then, would she not have died?
“I took my anger out on you for Yuezhen’s death, so Li Jinshuang might not be able to save you this time.” Just as Yu Sui took a step forward, Xun Zhiya shouted to the people outside, “Open the door! Let Li Jinshuang out!”
There was a moment of silence in the prison cell.
Yu Sui couldn't help but laugh. Her laughter was a lifelong humiliation to Xun Zhiya, making her heart pound and her face turn pale, yet burning hot.
The star barrier was removed, and only then did those outside hear the commotion inside: "Your Highness?"
Is His Highness inside?
"Open the door!"
"Your Highness," Yu Sui said before leaving, raising a finger to her lips and asking Xun Zhiya with a half-smile, "Guess which one I destroyed?"
Xun Zhiya didn't understand the meaning of these words at first. It wasn't until Si Wei untied her Dragon Binding Rope and she still couldn't mobilize the Five Elements Qi or even sense the Divine Soul Core within her body that she realized what Yu Sui had done.
Legalist divine punishment, the core of divine soul light.
Guess which one I'm planning to destroy next?
"Impossible," Xun Zhiya muttered to herself, unable to believe it.
She tried to activate the five elements in disbelief, but there was no response.
"Physician! Come quickly, His Highness is injured!" The guards summoned the physician from the dungeon, their voices filled with anxiety.
"Your Highness, let me..." The physician was about to approach Xun Zhiya when she cried out in alarm, "Get away! Don't touch me!"
Xun Zhiya was still in shock. She could not accept, nor dared to accept, the fact that she had lost her light core and could no longer use the five elements.
Even though she was in so much pain that she wanted to scream, she was afraid that the doctor would notice that her light core was gone, so she dared not let anyone touch her.
Xun Zhiya gritted her teeth, leaned against the corridor wall, and stubbornly walked out alone, her heart filled with anger, panic, and grievance.
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness!"
"Can't you see His Highness is injured? Hurry up and go help him!"
The guards were shocked and relieved to see Xun Zhiya emerge from the dungeon, but anyone who tried to approach her was sternly driven away by her.
"Zhiya!"
It wasn't until Xun Zhiya heard the familiar voice and saw Gu Gan arriving using the Wind Control Technique that she finally relaxed and fainted in the man's arms.
Gu Gan led his men to the Criminal Investigation Department and saw Xun Zhiya lying unconscious in his arms, his heart aching.
While he and his men anxiously surrounded Xun Zhiya, another group rushed to Li Jinshuang's side: "General!"
Gu Gan then noticed that Li Jinshuang had come out.
"Who released the man?" Gu Gan asked.
The officer from the Ministry of Justice replied, "It is Your Highness."
"Your Highness has been in the dungeon all this time?" Gu Gan pressed. "Who else is in there?"
"When we went in, we only saw His Highness and General Li." The people from the Criminal Investigation Department were also puzzled.
Outside the Criminal Investigation Department, there were always guards from the Flying Eagle Guards and members of the Li family. Lin Hui, the maidservant beside Li's grandmother, hurriedly stepped forward with a cloak in her hand and draped it over Li Jinshuang, looking at her with tears in her eyes.
"Go back and tell Grandma, so she can rest assured," Li Jinshuang said softly.
Lin Hui nodded, and was about to ask her if she would return to the manor together when she saw Li Jinshuang calmly say to the Flying Eagle Guard, "Tian Chong, come with me to escort His Highness back to the palace. The rest of you, disperse and pursue the traitors who broke into the Criminal Investigation Department and kidnapped His Highness. Pass on my order to dispatch three hundred Xuanhu soldiers to search the entire city."
"Wait!" Gu Gan shouted as Li Jinshuang was about to leave, "Was it Sui Sui who kidnapped Zhiya? Was it Sui Sui who threatened her in the dungeon to release you?"
Li Jinshuang turned to look at Gu Gan, who asked with a stern face, "What did Sui Sui do to Zhi Ya?"
"I only need to report everything that happened at the Ministry of Justice to His Majesty," Li Jinshuang said calmly. "Go and take His Highness away."
"Yes!" The Flying Eagle Guards led their men forward and took Xun Zhiya away from Gu Gan.
Gu Gan was anxious to find Yu Sui, so he didn't continue arguing with Li Jinshuang and let her take Xun Zhiya back to the palace.
The Flying Eagle Guards had just led the person out when they were intercepted by the palace maids of the Holy Maiden Palace.
Two Legalist masters at the thirteenth level followed behind the palace maid.
"General, Your Highness will be under our care." The palace maid bowed to Li Jinshuang with neither servility nor arrogance, then boarded the carriage and left with Xun Zhiya.
Li Jinshuang didn't stop it, nor could she. If Xun Zhiya got into trouble, the Holy Maiden Palace and the princess would definitely intervene.
"Go and follow them, but don't alert them." Li Jinshuang simply ordered someone to keep an eye on the carriage to see if Xun Zhiya had returned to the Holy Maiden's Palace.
A cold wind howled through the night, and the rain that had been falling for days had finally stopped.
The Ministry of Justice was in complete chaos. Li Jinshuang didn't linger and headed straight for the palace. But when she arrived at the palace gate, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of her reflection in the water, which showed her own filthy appearance.
She then stopped and went to find a place to wash up and groom herself.
Li Jinshuang chose the nearest inn, booked a room and hot water. She cleaned her wounds and bloodstains by herself, changed into clean clothes, and her reflection in the water finally became clean and tidy.
Some say that the fact that she could stand in the main hall without wearing official robes was a sign of He Xinsi's favoritism towards her. Others believe that He Xinsi didn't take her seriously at all, which is why she didn't specially make official robes for her.
Li Jinshuang didn't care what others said or thought; only He Xinsi's thoughts mattered, and only He Xinsi had the right to define the truth of the matter.
What Li Jinshuang was certain of was that He Xinsi disliked dirt and foul smells.
Therefore, she cannot appear before His Majesty in the manner she had just left the Ministry of Justice.
If you can't guess or do what he likes, then you must avoid the things he hates.
This was the first thing Li Jinshuang learned from He Xinsi.
Inside the royal palace.
Yu Yuan reported everything that had happened outside to He Xinsi.
He Xinsi was still standing by the window, looking down at the drawing paper. In his haste, he accidentally left a drop of ink, which disrupted all his plans. He didn't know how to continue drawing.
"How did the eldest princess of Dan Kingdom die?" He Xinsi asked.
“She died from the shattering of her light core,” Yu Yuan replied. “There were no extra traces left at the scene, and the operation was swift and decisive, so I guess it happened without her knowledge.”
"How's the investigation going from the Communications Institute?" He Xinsi asked again.
Yu Yuan lowered his head and said, "According to the Communications Institute, it is very simple to use the unified transmission of messages through the mountains. Various departments and offices also do this on a regular basis. As long as you have a pass token, you can do it."
"The Criminal Investigation Department said that the Communications Institute's operations are simple and easy, so perhaps we should start by looking at the content of the transmitted messages."
"Xu Fei, the chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, requested His Majesty's permission to investigate those involved with the He family, and also..." Yu Yuan paused here, seemingly considering whether to continue.
"What else do you want?" He Xinsi asked with a smile.
Yu Yuan replied expressionlessly, "Is there any further inquiry regarding the person who wants to convey a message to lift the oath of non-aggression?"
"This person is quite thoughtful." He Xinsi was pleased by these words, and her smile became even more obvious, making it impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry.
A short while later, a report came from outside that Li Jinshuang was requesting an audience.
He Xinsi nodded, and Yu Yuan immediately went out to greet her. Li Jinshuang stepped into the warm house, the lights shining brightly, carrying the chill of the rainy night. She bowed her head and knelt on one knee to pay her respects: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
"It's been quite a while." He Xinsi's words didn't carry any coldness or distance; they were more like the gentle tone one would use to address a junior. "You've just been released from prison and come to see me immediately. Is there something urgent?"
Li Jinshuang stood up, still keeping her head down, her delicate and pretty face revealing no emotion whatsoever.
“Tonight, thieves broke into the Ministry of Justice and kidnapped Your Highness to the dungeon, threatening Your Highness’s life to force me to leave,” Li Jinshuang said calmly. “I was incompetent and allowed the thieves to injure Your Highness and leave. Your Highness is now unconscious and has been taken back to the Holy Maiden Palace.”
"I've heard about this too." He Xinsi stood by the desk, looking at Li Jinshuang below with pity.
Li Jinshuang waited quietly for the next part to be told.
"Since you refused to submit to the Holy Maiden, I gave her a chance to tame you, but it seems she has failed again." He Xinsi sighed softly. "Do you know who the thief who injured the Holy Maiden is?"
“It’s Nangong Sui, a wanted criminal from Qingyang,” Li Jinshuang said in a low voice.
He Xinsi raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.
"I think I've heard of this name before."
Yu Yuan stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this person is the youngest daughter of Nangong Ming of Qingyang. She killed her mother three years ago and disappeared. She became a wanted criminal in Qingyang and was hunted down by the six kingdoms."
"A madman who killed his mother disappeared for three years, then suddenly reappeared, and even kidnapped the Holy Maiden to rescue you from prison?" He Xinsi looked at Li Jinshuang.
Li Jinshuang said calmly, "After Nangong Sui gave me the three fragments of the pagoda, I then passed them on to Your Majesty."
He Xinsi suddenly realized: "I remember now, you did mention this."
"So you always knew that Nangong Sui was still alive and hadn't died," He Xinsi said, her question somewhat sharp.
"When she handed over this item, I did not see Nangong Sui, nor did I know whether she was alive or dead." Li Jinshuang's answers were always calm and indifferent, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking.
"Then you don't know if she might disrupt the Communications Institute and kidnap the Holy Maiden to rescue you?"
"When the Holy Maiden was in the dungeon, she questioned Nangong Sui about the matter of the communication institute sending messages. Nangong Sui has already denied it, and I am also unaware of it."
"But she still came. The two of you are deeply in love. If the Holy Maiden knew, she would be heartbroken." He Xinsi said with a smile, "If Nangong Sui wanted to save you, why did he need to kidnap the Holy Maiden and humiliate her in front of you?"
Li Jinshuang fell silent.
He Xinsi sighed again: "She injured the Holy Maiden, so isn't that the same as injuring me?"
“Your Majesty,” Li Jinshuang bowed and said, “Nangong Sui is a wanted criminal of the six kingdoms. On my way here, I dispatched three hundred Xuanhu soldiers to search the entire city for him.”
"Then I give you three days to capture Nangong Sui. You have the power to mobilize all the troops in the capital. General Li, bring him before me and execute him personally."
He Xinsi looked at Li Jinshuang with a smile in her eyes.
"If you fail to capture Nangong Sui in three days, the entire Li family will be punished along with you."
Li Jinshuang lowered her head, her dark eyes as deep as an abyss, yet they reflected nothing but numbness and indifference.
"Your subject obeys." As she rose to leave, her usually cold and aloof expression suddenly sharpened.
[Author's Note]
[Cat's paw]
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